


Whumptober 2019 - 27 - Ransom

by OllieCollie



Series: Whumptober 2019 [27]
Category: Chicago Fire
Genre: Apartment Fire, Gen, Gunshot, Minor appearance of Jay Halstead, Ransom, Whump, hostage, wrong place-wrong time
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-10-27
Updated: 2019-10-27
Packaged: 2021-01-05 11:36:05
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,061
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/21207881
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/OllieCollie/pseuds/OllieCollie
Summary: A searing pain shot up Casey's upper leg, simultaneous with the sound of a gunshot. He dropped to the floor with a grunt, mind racing as he tried to figure out what exactly was going on and what had just happened.





	Whumptober 2019 - 27 - Ransom

**Author's Note:**

> I stressed myself out trying to finish this in time for today's post, buuut hey, I got it done! My perfectionist self is not appreciating the lack of time to elaborate/edit for Whumptober. XD
> 
> Drop a comment and let me know what you thought!

Unexpected was one word for it.

A nasty fire on the second floor of an apartment building had called for all of Firehouse 51 in order to battle it. Casey and the rest of Truck 51 were in the middle of their primary search of the fire floor, banging on doors, clearing rooms, and directing occupants to the stairs.

Casey pounded a fist against one of the doors on the other side of the building—the side furthest away from the fire. "Fire department, we need to evacuate!" he called through the closed door. Around him, the rest of his crew rushed around, hollering and helping people out of the smoke-filled hallway. 

There was no response, and Casey knocked again. "Fire department; anyone in there?"

He frowned when the sound of someone shuffling behind the door caught his attention, even amidst the chaos going on around him. However, no one opened the door, and there wasn't time to waste. The truck captain lifted a foot, and with one powerful kick, knocked the door in.

He barely had time to process the scene in front of him before things hit the roof.

A man, bound and gagged, sat in the back corner of the main room. His eyes widened when they met Casey's own surprised gaze.

Casey's hand was on his radio—his mouth opening to speak—when another man appeared from the next room. Before the captain had a chance to even blink, the man reached to pull an object from the waistband of his pants. 

A searing pain shot up Casey's upper leg, simultaneous with the sound of a gunshot. He dropped to the floor with a grunt, mind racing as he tried to figure out what exactly was going on and what had just happened.

The man's eyes widened as he stepped closer, as if his immediate reaction hadn't been the smartest option now that he considered it. The gun wavered for a moment.

Casey didn't want to give the man another chance to use the gun—on him or the guy who was currently tied up on the other side of the room. He needed to make a move, and now. 

So he pushed to his feet, taking advantage of the gunman's moment of hesitation and tackling him to the ground. The gun went flying out of reach, and a wrestling match commenced as both men fought to come out on top.

Casey gritted his teeth when his opponent's kick made contact with his injured leg. 

Shouts echoed down the hall, and suddenly Gallo was there, throwing himself into the tussle. With the help of the newest truck member, Casey was able to wrestle the man down, pinning his arms to his sides. The rest of the cavalry arrived seconds later, surprise and confusion evident in their voices.

Then Severide appeared, calm and collected as usual. He took over the situation and began directing the crew. "Kidd, Mouch—finish up that primary search." Turning his gaze to the captive, he added, "Capp, Tony, you two get the victim out of here. Cruz stays with me and Gallo. We're gonna need some unis here, Chief," he radioed in, dropping to his knees next to the pile of men in the middle of the room. "Casey, you good?" His gaze slipped down to the large splotch of blood on the truck captain's thigh that was still growing.

"Yeah, yeah, I'm all right," Casey gasped out between breaths. "Bullet got me...in the leg."

He winced when Severide found something to wrap around the wound and knotted it quickly. "Come on, we gotta go."

Casey knew the fire was still blazing and they needed to get out so Engine could let loose on the flames. He took his friend's offered hand and let himself be pulled to a standing position. His leg, however, refused to hold his weight, and he stumbled to the side with a grunt. Now that the rush of the moment was over, the pain from the bullet wound was making itself known. 

Severide muttered a curse under his breath. "Sorry, man," he said, adjusting Casey's arm across his shoulders. He glanced across the room. "Tony! Give me a hand." The squad member hurried over, situating himself on the other side of the injured captain to help him out of the room.

The group eventually made their way down the steep flight of stairs and out into the chaotic array of firetrucks, people, and ambulances. Police cars were just rolling up. 

"What on earth happened?" Severide bit out as he settled Casey on the offered stretcher the paramedics had waiting. 

Casey shook his head, still struggling to catch his breath. "Went in...guy came out of nowhere and took a—shot at me. No clue what...what was goin' on." He didn't have a chance to discuss anything further, though, because the paramedics were already wheeling him toward the ambo. He figured he'd have to wait and be filled in on the details later.

* * *

"So it was a disgruntled employee holding his boss for ransom?" Casey shook his head in disbelief. He'd been shot because a guy had gotten laid off and become desperate enough to kidnap his boss for money and revenge?

"Yep." Jay Halstead shook his head. "He contacted Willis's wife, demanded she wire him two million in exchange for her husband."

"People are crazy, man," Severide interjected from his position at the foot of the hospital bed. 

"You're tellin' me," Casey muttered. He had signed up to fight fires and make daring rescues, not be shot at. That was Halstead and the rest of the twenty-first district's job.

"Well, don't worry." Jay nodded, crossing his arms across his chest. "This wasn't his first offense. He'll be going away for a while." 

The news didn't exactly fix the bullet wound in Casey's leg, but it did make him feel a _ little _bit better.

"Really, Casey, if you wanted to take some time off, you could have just used your furlough," Severide said with a teasing smirk.

"Shut up." Casey leveled a glare at his best friend before turning to Halstead. "Thanks for filling us in, Detective."

Well, he supposed that the whole "crazy former employee holding millionaire business owner for ransom" and winding up shot as a result made for an interesting story, if nothing else.


End file.
